In a raw and revealing interview on The Zane Lowe Show, seven-time BRIT Award winner RAYE sat down to discuss her monumental new album, THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE, released on March 27. The conversation, credited to Apple Music, delved into the artist’s "miserable existence" within the traditional label system and the hard-won freedom of her independent era.
"It’s Taken Every Blood Cell"
Reflecting on the exhaustive process of creating the record, RAYE admitted the project represents a "lifetime’s worth of work." Having stepped into the role of executive producer, she oversaw everything from lyrical top-lines to massive orchestral sections.
"I’m honestly exhausted, both mentally and physically," she told Lowe. "It’s been a labour of absolute passion and love... I’ve been pouring into this body of work in some way, shape, or form."
A "Subconscious Rebellion"
A significant portion of the album’s DNA was formed in response to years of writing for other artists under strict creative briefs. RAYE described that period as a "former model" where she was forced to be "simple and minimal" to fit specific BPMs and lengths.
"There's a kind of rebellion in there," she explained. "For so many years [I was told] you don't know who you are, you need to pick a sound... how do you expect me to possibly define myself for you unless I have the space to do that?"
Rejecting the industry’s obsession with genre, she added: "I’m not just one thing... my identity is not one thing. So how can you ask me to choose one thing? In this record I’ve embraced maximalism."
The Power of Leverage
The turning point came when RAYE famously fought for her independence. She described the "breaking point" where she nearly gave up on being an artist entirely. However, as public attention grew, she realized she finally had the upper hand against the label system.
"For the first time I felt like I had some sort of power over my future," she recalled. "I was able to kind of pretty explicitly say... we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Total leverage. How does it feel now I've got some? I absolutely love it. It was a great feeling."
Healing and Independence
Despite the victory, RAYE was candid about the "soul searching" and therapy that followed. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE became a vessel for that healing, blending new realizations with older gems rescued from her archives—including the track "Oscar Winning Tears," which she revealed is eight years old.
Now operating with a small, dedicated team, RAYE has moved from a "fragmented" past into a future she fully owns. As she told Lowe: "I was aware that we were in this fresh slate, clean slate kind of place."
